Natural Natal
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Trip Highlights
· The volunteering project in Araruna
· Natal city
· 4WD buggy drive
· UNESCO World Heritage Olinda town
· Manatee Research Centre
· Charles Darwin Ecological Centre
· Mata Atlantica rainforest
· Archaeological wonders
· Sertao (outback) ranch stay
· Colonial Areia
Your "Taste of Volunteering" Project
Building Community Facilities in Natal, Cistern and reservoir construction, house building, reforestation, honey extraction in remote Araruna
Trip Summary
In this adventure, you focus on Brazil’s famed north-east Natal province. You tour Natal city, and also help build community facilities, such as wheelchair access before heading up the coast the following day, by 4WD buggy to the closest point to Africa. The following day, back in Natal, youtransfer to Araruna in Paraiba State, the site of your volunteer project. Projects include constructing a cistern and reservoir, honey extraction, reforestation, and house building.
On Day 8 we say goodbye to our new friends and visit colonial Areia town, before reaching the luxurious Pai Mateus ranch. The archaeological tour continues the following day, and also on Day 10 when you leave Pai Mateus ranch and also visit the Manatee Research Centre before arriving in the UNESCO World Heritage colonial town of Olinda.
On Day 11 we tour the workshops of this charming town, as well as the historic neighbourhood of Recife Antigo.
The following day we visit the Charles Darwin Ecological Refuge and the Mata Atlantica rainforest before arriving back in Natal.
Your adventure ends in Natal after a further day relaxing here, where you can fly to your connecting flight home, or to Rio for our extension trips to Buzios or Paraty.
Day by Day Itinerary
1st Day: Arrival at Natal International Airport and transfer to your luxury beachfront hotel. You have the rest of the day at leisure.
2nd Day – Natal: After breakfast you are taken through the coastal road for a city-tour. On this day we have our first volunteer program. You have the opportunity to help improve the accessibility of the sidewalks in Natal, helping in the construction of two ramps (with a bricklayer’s support). After that we return to the Hotel. Overnight. (B)
3rd Day – Natal – Sand dunes: After breakfast you join a sand dune buggy tour to the North Coast of Natal (3 clients per vehicle). We will ride over the unique Genipabu Coastal Sand Dunes Field and them proceed on the beach 60 km North up to Cabo de São Roque, the closest point between South America and the African Continent. After that you will be taken to a local restaurant for lunch (own expenses). Back to Natal. Overnight at your luxury hotel. (B)
4th Day – Natal – Araruna: After breakfast you leave for Araruna, in Paraiba State, where we have a second volunteer activity. The program was created by a German Priest a long time ago for the local community and during our visit we will do some activities like construction, land cleaning, and plantation of seedlings, among others. The volunteering in Araruna is with AFINK – "Associação de Formação e Incentivo para o Nordeste Karente" – "Association for the Formation and Incentive of the Poor Northeast People."
The main volunteer activities are:
1- Extracting honey and fruit plantation;
2- Cistern and Reservoir Construction - working alongside the community people.
3- Reforestation: varied species of seedlings are kept in the Association; there will be opportunity to plant them with the members' project help.
4- In this Association there is one group called "Bible's Friend" which performs different activities, such as: building new houses for the poor; or taking care of children.
The actual activity depends on the community's needs at the time of your visit - you will be told this a month in advance of your trip, so you can choose then from the range of options.
Once we arrive we will have a briefing about our volunteer activities. Overnight. (B; L: D).
5th Araruna: After breakfast we will have our first day of volunteer program. Overnight. (B; L: D).
6th Day – Araruna: 3rd day volunteering. (B; L;D)
7th Day: Araruna: 4th day volunteering (B, L; D)
8th Day: Araruna – Areia – Pai Mateus: After breakfast we depart to Areia, a small colonial town, where houses from the 19th and early 20th centuries have been preserved. There we will visit a small ancient beautiful theatre built with European cedar wood, and a sugar mill were we will visit how the famous Brazilian drink, the cachaça, is produced.
Lunch is at a restaurant in Areia. We will then proceed to Pai Mateus Ranch to relax in the swimming pool or firewood sauna. 'Cariri' style food will be served at dinner.
In the evening you can experience the starry Sertão night (Sertão is the Brazilian equivalent of the Australian Outback). Overnight at the Ranch. (B;L;D)
9th Day – Cariri: After breakfast we take a pleasant short walk to “Saca de Lã” site. This unique rock formation resembles an enormous pile of wool packs. Nature or human made structure? We invite you to uncover this secret. After that we visit granite hills decorated with small lakes and large boulders. Prehistoric man and huge mammals - such as mastodons and saber-toothed tigers - inhabited the area, leaving enigmatic relics of their passage, such as rock art, flint tools and fossilised bones.
We then return to the ranch for a lunch. After a short rest we visit a fantastic rocky landscape where 70 huge boulders are found scattered throughout an area once inhabited by early tribes and a 18th century “shaman”, called Pai Mateus. The mystical landscape brings different thoughts and emotions to everyone while we experience a spectacular sunset.
We return to the ranch for dinner. Overnight at the Ranch. (B;L;D)
10th Day – Cariri – Ingá – Itamaracá – Olinda: After breakfast, we depart to Ingá (Paraíba State) to visit the largest and most awesome Brazilian archaeological monument. It is a huge monolith, with beautiful prehistoric petroglyphs, carved by skillful hands thousands of years ago.
We proceed to Itmaracá Island, to visit Forte Orange, an impressive fortification built by the Dutch in 1631 and restored along its history by the Dutch and Portuguese.
We have lunch at a local restaurant and visit the “Manatee Research Centre” to learn about this highly endangered marine mammal species. After that we proceed to Olinda. This beautiful historical town has a fabulous group of colonial buildings which UNESCO has declared as part of the “Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.
We check-in at a hotel located in the middle of the historical town center. Dinner is on your own account; overnight at the Hotel. (B;L)
11th Day – Olinda - After breakfast, we take a walking tour to the main churches and museums of Olinda ending at Amparo Street. This place concentrates the ateliers (small workshops) of the most important artists of Olinda – painters, sculptors and others. This is a good opportunity to see and possibly buy some works of art for good prices.
We have lunch (own account) at one of the many good restaurants of Olinda.
After lunch we visit the atelier of Francisco Brennand, located in a restored brick factory. This internationally renowned artist created fantastic scenery, with more than 1000 pieces of art spread around the gardens and pools of this old factory.
We then return to the hotel. In the evening we visit Recife's recently restored historical neighborhood (Recife Antigo) where can choose a restaurant for dinner (own account).
We return to the Hotel for overnight. (B).
12th Day – Olinda - Charles Darwin Refuge – Natal: After breakfast we will proceed to the Charles Darwin Ecological Refuge, situated in the middle of a forest – the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Rainforest). Here, on a short walk through the forest, guided by biologists, you learn more about the animals and plants of this endangered ecosystem. We then proceed to Natal where we expect to arrive around 7:00 p.m. Transfers to hotel. (B;L)
13th Day - Natal: At leisure in Natal. (B)
14th Day – Natal: After breakfast, transfer to Natal International Airport to take the plane to the next destination. End of our services. (B)
* Note Comfort Level
Accommodation is in luxury hotels and ranches throughout (4-5*).
Extension Trips
Brazil Pre-Trip Rio
Brazil - Extension 1: Buzios
Brazil - Extension 2: Paraty
Brazil - Extension 3: Fernando de Noronha
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